Automatic all color producing paint spray unit



June 2, 1964 L. GREENMAN 3,135,467

AUTOMATIC ALL. COLOR PRODUCING PAINT SPRAY UNIT Filed Dec. 3, 1962 3 Sheets-Shee: 1

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INVENTOR. 50 I gi a wfin 7/7 cli/whd'uw irrap/vfy June 2, 1964 L. GREENMAN 3,135,467

AUTOMATIC ALL COLOR PRODUCING PAINT SPRAY UNIT Filed Dec. 3, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 T I l I N V EN TOR. LEO GEEK/Wm June 2, 1964 L. GREENMAN 3,135,467

AUTOMATIC ALL COLOR PRODUCING PAINT SPRAY UNIT Filed Dec. 3, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. 470 6555 1 26? irfa/P/vfr United States Patent Ofi ice 3,135,467 Patented June 2, 1964 3,135,467 AUTOMATIC ALL COLOR PRODUCING PAINT SPRAY UNIT Leo Greenrnan, 185 Erasmus St., Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed Dec. 3, 1962, Ser. No. 241,9fi8 Claims. (Cl. 239--304) Paint Spray Unit.

Another object is to permit the user of my unit to enjoy his or her own creative color style, and at the same time, save the user money by making it unnecessary for the user to buy such color paints as this particular unit can produce.

Still another object is tovprovide a new and improved unit, of the character indicated utilizing a cluster or collection of individual containers, each containing a different paint-so arranged, whereby these paints which for example, can be of the primary colors such as Red, Yellow and Blue, plus additional of Black and White, can be automatically mixed to produce any color and tone desired.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and ad vantages of my invention will now be explained with reference to this specification and to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top perspective view of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom perspective view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-section through 33 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-section through 44 of FIG- UfRE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an exploded view of certain elements of my invention;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-section through 6-6 of FIG- URE 5; when assembled;

FIGURE7 is a plan view partially in cross-section of one of the valve units;

FIGURE 8 is an end view of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a cross-section through 9-9 of FIGURE 8; and

FIGURE 10 is an exploded view of certain of the valve parts.

Referring now to the drawings, a spray unit 10 is connected by air hose 12 to a conventional air compressor (not shown). Unit 10 is connected by a separate external pipe stem 14 (having both ends internally threaded) to a 7 lower connecting section 16. An internal pipe stem 18 is mounted within the external stem 14, the upper end of internal stem 18 being threaded to fit into the central u 23 which engages a disk shaped valve release control 24' with compression springs 26 interposed therebetween for purposes to be described hereinafter. Control 24 carries six equidistantly spaced curved rectangular slots 28 spaced about the outer periphery. A valve control stem 3i extends downward through each slot 28 to a corresponding valve unit 31. A center portion 32, on each unit 31 communicates through a vertical hollow tube 34 into the interior of. a corresponding container 36 which holds paint, cleaner fluid and/ or air, or other gasses under pressure.

Each valve unit 31 contains a valve pin 41), compression springs 42, valve pin guide 47, valve shaft spring hold 44 and leather washer 49. Each unit 31 threadedly engages a corresponding radial channel in section 16, whereby when the corresponding valve control stem 30 is positioned or turned clockwise at one 45 angle (i.e. it is in an opened position) which retracts valve pin 40 enough to permit the pressurized paint fluid to enter the central hollow tube 18 and then into the central passage 20 of the unit 10. When the valve control stem 30 is positioned or turned in a counter-clockwise manner and remains at rest in this 45 angle (i.e., it is in a closed position). (Thus containing and restraining fluid from any movement.) This opening and closing action is obtained by a cam unit 50 located at the end and coupled to the valve unit 31 whereby the valve control stem 30 is set in and protrudes from this cam surface. The valve control stem 30 during translation between open and shut positions, acts as a cam follower.

In addition to the connection between each container 36 and unit 31, each container 36 is connected through a colresponding air pipe 60 to a lower air pressure chamber 62. Chamber 62 is connected through six equidistantly spaced vertical bores 64- in section 16 to the upper air pressure chamber 22.

To use my invention, the paints to be automatically mixed are selected by opening the valve control stems 30 of the corresponding containers 36. The operator then pulls the trigger 11 on the spray gun unit 10, and the pressurized air (or other gas) flows from the compressor and hose 12, through the upper chamber 22, through holes 64, in section 16, into the lower chamber 62, into the air pipes 60 and into all of the containers 36.

At this point, if the valve control stem 30 of any container 36 is closed, the air in this container cannot flow any further. However, if the valve control stem 30 is open, the contents of the container, paint, etc., is forced up through tube 34 into the center portion 32 of the ap propriate valve unit 31, around the appropriate valve pin 40, into the bore of the internal pipe stem 18, into the central passage 20 of the spray gun unit 10, and is sprayed out of the unit 10 on to the work. The various paints are mixed automatically with each other, as they pass through the bore of stem 18 into the central passage 20.

When the operator wishes to stop spraying the particular colors previously used, he releases the hold on trigger 11 or unit 10, he then merely grips with his fingers the protruding disk control pin stem secured to disk control 24 and rotates same a short distance clockwise. The slots 28 then are turned until the edges contact the opened valve control stems 30 forcing them into a counter-clockwise direction to the closed position. This action is strongly assisted by the various compression springs 42 acting upon the valve shaft spring holds 44 which in turn forces valve pins 46 sliding through the center holes of valve pin guides 47 to close the open holes leading to the central hollow tube bore 18, located in the center of the radial channels of section 16, thus sealing oiI any further movement of the fluids. The compression springsl26 permit disk control 24 to return to the starting position.

The bottom portion of section 16 has a removable air plug 17 which helps contain the air pressure in chamber 62.

Containers 36 can be made of fiber glass or such plastic material having such strength as to contain the air pressure and having such transparent characteristics as to be able to show the fluid levels within said containers.

The principles of my invention can be applied to any other type of atomizing spray system, such as the vibrator type, vacuum suction, centrifugal method, rapid pump type and the like, etc.

Various chemicals such as insecticides or perfumes or other desired combinations can be usedinstead of paints. The containers can each have a different primary color I 13 such as Red, Yellow or Blue, together with the additional values of Black and White, and a cleaner fluid such as turpentine. Any other color can be obtained by the appropriate mixing of two or more primary colors, and light or dark tones can be obtained by adding or withholding white. This condition can be brought about by pre-setting the valve control stems 30 in relation to the appropriate containers 36 to produce the desired color effect.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to the construction shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that such is not to be construed as imparting limitations upon the invention, which is best defined by the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An automatic multiple color producing paint spray device comprising a spray gun having a depending nipple provided with a paint inlet bore and an adjacent air pressure conduit, a housing member secured at its upper end to said nipple, a connecting member secured to the lower end of said housing member, a tubular stem projecting axially upwardly from said connecting member and connected at its upper end to the inlet bore of said nipple,

and forming with said housing member an annular pressure chamber in communication with said air pressure conduit, a plurality of radial bores formed in said connecting member, each in communication with said tubular stem, a valve unit for each radial bore mounted on said connecting member, a depending paint container mounted on each valve unit, a paint delivery conduit connected to each valve unit and extending interiorly of the container associated therewith, an air supply conduit connecting the interior of each container with said annular pressure chamber, valve means within each valve unit operative between each radial bore and the tubular stem for controlling the fiow of paint to the spray gun, a valve control stem for each valve means, a control member mounted on said housing member for limited angular movement thereon and operatively connected to each valve control stem whereby movement of said control member in one direction will operate to simultaneously open each of said valve means.

2. The paint spray device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of spaced stops are provided on said connecting member, a like number of spaced lugs are provided on said control member, a compression coil spring between each stop and lug normally holding said lugs in engagement with said stops in which position the control member operates to hold the valve means in closed position.

3. The paint spray device of claim 2, wherein cam means is formed on each valve unit, the valve control stem of each valve unit having a cam follower engagement with its associated cam means whereby upon movement of said valve control stem by said control member, the

ensuing cam action will operate to open said valve means.

4. The paint spray device of claim 3, wherein each valve unit is provided with a spring return means acting on the valve means therein to return and hold the same in closed position.

5. The paint spray device of claim 4, wherein said connecting member is provided with a lower pressure chamber, a plurality of circumferentially arranged ports communicating said annular pressure chamber with said lower pressure chamber, each said container air supply conduit being connected to said lower pressure chamber, said valve units lying in a horizontal plane above said air supply conduits, said control member comprising a circular plate coaxially mounted on said connecting member, a plurality of arcuate slots circumferentially spaced provided in said circular plate, each valve control stem projecting upwardly through an associated arcuate slot to be engaged by an end wall of its slot upon movement of said control member, to operate said valve means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,774,694 Bateman Sept. 2, 1930 1,863,782 Young June 21, 1932 1,948,401 Smith et al. Feb. 20, 1934 1,953,330 Andres Apr. 3, 1934 2,339,379 Cook Jan. 18, 1944 2,495,587 Magowan Ian. 24, 1950 2,732,859 Chace Jan. 31, 1956 2,756,775 Hyde July 31, 1956 

1. AN AUTOMATIC MULTIPLE COLOR PRODUCING PAINT SPRAY DEVICE COMPRISING A SPRAY GUN HAVING A DEPENDING NIPPLE PROVIDED WITH A PAINT INLET BORE AND AN ADJACENT AIR PRESSURE CONDUIT, A HOUSING MEMBER SECURED AT ITS UPPER END TO SAID NIPPLE, A CONNECTING MEMBER SECURED TO THE LOWER END OF SAID HOUSING MEMBER, A TUBULAR STEM PROJECTING AXIALLY UPWARDLY FROM SAID CONNECTING MEMBER AND CONNECTED AT ITS UPPER END TO THE INLET BORE OF SAID NIPPLE, AND FORMING WITH SAID HOUSING MEMBER AN ANNULAR PRESSURE CHAMBER IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID AIR PRESSURE CONDUIT, A PLURALITY OF RADIAL BORES FORMED IN SAID CONNECTING MEMBER, EACH IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID TUBULAR STEM, A VALVE UNIT FOR EACH RADIAL BORE MOUNTED ON SAID CONNECTING MEMBER, A DEPENDING PAINT CONTAINER MOUNTED ON EACH VALVE UNIT, A PAINT DELIVERY CONDUIT CONNECTED TO EACH VALVE UNIT AND EXTENDING INTERIORLY OF THE CONTAINER ASSOCIATED THEREWITH, AN AIR SUPPLY CONDUIT CONNECTING THE INTERIOR OF EACH CONTAINER WITH SAID ANNULAR PRESSURE CHAMBER, VALVE MEANS WITHIN EACH VALVE UNIT OPERATIVE BETWEEN EACH RADIAL BORE AND THE TUBULAR STEM FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF PAINT TO THE SPRAY GUN, A VALVE CONTROL STEM FOR EACH VALVE MEANS, A CONTROL MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING MEMBER FOR LIMITED ANGULAR MOVEMENT THEREON AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO EACH VALVE CONTROL STEM WHEREBY MOVEMENT OF SAID CONTROL MEMBER IN ONE DIRECTION WILL OPERATE TO SIMULTANEOUSLY OPEN EACH OF SAID VALVE MEANS. 